


Salem Center Academy 20 - Prana

by Metal_Ox137



Series: Salem Center Academy [20]
Category: Marvel (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-08
Updated: 2015-08-08
Packaged: 2018-04-13 14:11:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4525008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Metal_Ox137/pseuds/Metal_Ox137
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Illyana and her students encounter a powerful new mutant who could be the key to Earth's defense from an alien menace.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Salem Center Academy 20 - Prana

Scene: The Salem Center Academy for Gifted Youngsters - Time: NOW

It is a rainy Monday morning in Salem Center, and all of Illyana Rasputin's students have had their daily run up to the hilltop, finished their yoga class and had breakfast. They are gathering for the first class of the day in the living room. Illyana, modestly dressed in white blouse, dark slacks and sandals, smiles at her students. 

Illyana: Okay, students, listen up! I have an announcement to make. 

The students quickly find their seats either on the couch or in upholstered chairs, and give their full attention to Illyana. 

Illyana: As you know, Miss Braddock came out to visit us last week, to help train Irma and Phoebe. I'm happy to tell you she will be coming back to stay with us, starting next week. 

The cuckoos cannot help squealing with delight. 

Illyana [holding up a cautioning hand]: We don't get to keep her permanently. But, she applied for a personal leave of absence from Ororo's team, so that she could spend more time with us. That leave has been granted, so starting next Monday, she'll be with us for at least the next month, possibly a little longer.

Christopher: Sweet!

Fabio: Awesome. 

David: Great news, boss.

Irma: Best. News. Ever.

Illyana [smiling]: As you know, initially Betsy was here to work exclusively with Irma and Phoebe. But, since she'll be staying here as an ongoing member of the faculty, she will begin teaching classes for the rest you as well. I expect all of you to give her the same attention and effort that you give to me, or Professor Pryde.

All the students [in unison]: Yes, professor. 

Illyana: She thinks enough of you that she is taking time off work to be with you. That says a great deal about how highly she regards you. So let's show her that regard is not misplaced. All right? Also, Professor Pryde will be here Thursday and Friday of this week, so make yourselves ready. Your classwork is only going to get more challenging from here on out. 

She smiles at them.

Illyana: I just want to say, I'm very proud of all of you. When I talk to the other teachers at the Jean Grey school, they all make it a point to tell me how impressed they are with you. We're no longer being seen as the little "wannabe" school. We're making a very favorable impression of our own. That's because of how all of you conduct yourselves in front of the other faculty members. Please keep up the outstanding work. Now. This morning, we are going to be doing something a little different. I need everyone's assistance with a security project.

David: Security?

Illyana: As you know, a few days ago, Irma, Phoebe and I visited Doctor Strange in New York. The purpose of that trip was to set up an "early warning system" to detect any breaches into our world by a hostile force. And after what happened with FDO Harris and his squadron of Marines, I wanted to set up something similar here. 

Christopher: Yeah, Agent Asswipe sure qualifies as a hostile force.

Illyana: Christopher, please. So, this morning, before we do anything else, I am going to set up a magical cordon around the school. The cordon won't be a physical barrier. It won't prevent anyone from crossing. But, anytime someone is who isn't recognized crosses the barrier, an alarm will be triggered. What I want to do this morning is include each of you in the spell, so you will be recognized as "friendly" and you'll be able to cross the threshold at any time without setting off any alarms.

David: Are you going to include the hilltop inside the cordon, boss?

Illyana: No, David. Just the grounds down here. Everything from the driveway in front, out to the hilltop path in back. 

Doug [whispering to Phoebe]: What does she mean, "spell"?

Phoebe: Shh! I'll explain later.

Illyana: Please, everyone, pay attention. It should only take a couple of minutes to set up the barrier and then include each of you in the spell. I also need one volunteer to try tripping the alarm first. 

Christopher: Sure, I'll do it. What do you need?

Illyana: Just take a run outside, to the end of the driveway, right next to the road. I'll have Irma ping you when it's time to come back.

Christopher zips up his waterproof poncho, and pulls the hood up over his head. He heads for the door. 

Illyana: Christopher, one other thing. When we ask you to come back to the school, please watch carefully all around you as you come up the driveway. The barrier should not appear visible in any way, and it shouldn't restrain you. If you see or feel anything, let me know, and we'll fine-tune it. I want this alarm system to be undetectable to anyone but other beings of magic.

Christopher: Okay, prof. Will do. I'm out.

Christopher goes outside.

David: Why not other beings of magic, boss?

Illyana: For one thing, it would just make the spell far too complicated. I want something simple. I'm willing to gamble most of our unwelcome visitors will be either be human or superhuman. We'll deal with specific magical threats when they come up.

Fabio: If you're spelling the driveway, doesn't that mean any cars coming up the drive will also trip the alarm?

Illyana [nodding]: Everything but our van, yes. But for the driveway, I'll probably use just a notification alarm, not a red alert. Honestly, I should have done this on day one. All right, everyone, I need you to line up in front of me, please. About a foot apart between you and the student next to you. 

The students comply, quickly settling into a line-up.

Illyana: Okay, this may feel a little weird, but I promise, nothing bad. 

Illyana steps over to Irma, who is first to Illyana's left. Illyana spreads her hands and a light begins to glow, like a bubble filled with tiny fireflies. Illyana widens the space between her hands and the light diffuses over Irma's body, gently coating her like pixie dust. Irma giggles nervously. 

Irma: That tickles. 

Illyana moves from one student to the next, gently coating each of them with a vapor of light, which appears to sink into the skin and vanish. Doug is simply agog seeing the process, and he shuffles nervously as Illyana approaches him.

Illyana: Don't worry, Doug, I promise, this will not hurt you at all. 

David: It's okay, buddy. She's actually doing this to protect all of us.

Hesitantly, Doug nods, and then screws his eyes shut as Illyana dusts him with the magical light. She gently squeezes his hands afterwards and gives him a reassuring smile.

Illyana: All done.

Irma: Mom, Christopher's at the edge of the drive.

Illyana: Thanks, Irma. Ask him to stay there for just a minute. 

After tending to each of the students, Illyana steps back, closes her eyes and widens her stance. Her whole body becomes diffused with light which slowly begins to spread outward, like an expanding bubble, gently coating everything it touches, then that light too fades. Illyana opens her eyes. 

Illyana: Okay, Irma, ask Christopher to come up now.

Irma [touching her forehead]: Done. 

Moments later, a bright red glow flashes, with sources of light coming from the kitchen, Illyana's office and from Illyana's bedroom. There is no sound to accompany the light, but the pulsating glow is strong enough to be easily noticed from anywhere on the ground floor. After approximately thirty seconds, the light alarm shuts itself off.

David [approvingly]: Very nice, boss. 

Illyana [almost apologetically]: I didn't want to use a claxon. Loud noises make me jump out of my skin. 

David: So, from now on, anybody not covered in fairy dust sets off the alarm?

Illyana: Yup. And Doug, the next time your parents come to visit, we'll add them to the list of "friendly people". David, that goes for your girlfriend Aimee, too. 

David [genuinely touched by the gesture]: Thanks, boss. 

Christopher comes in through the front door. 

Christopher: Is everything good?

Illyana: Everything's fine, we just need to add you to the list of authorized friendlies. 

Illyana performs the same baptism of light for Christopher as she's just done for the other students. Christopher wrinkles up his nose and sneezes.

Christopher: Sorry. It tickles a bit.

Illyana: No problem. See anything on your way back?

Christopher: Nothing but rain. 

The conversation is interrupted by a red glowing light covering the entire room. The students look around in confusion. 

David: Boss, that's not our proximity alarm, is it?

Illyana: No, David, it's not. It's - 

Her face blanches.

Illyana: Oh, God, no. 

Irma and Phoebe exchange terse glances. 

Irma: That's the early warning system for bug-eyed monsters. The aliens are back. 

David: Oh, crap.

Illyana gestures and puts herself into her Magik uniform, and the other students into their SCA jackets. 

Illyana: Fabio, Eva, Christopher, Irma, with me. R.T.A. David, get on the network in my office. Dial the number for Carol Danvers, and tell her what's happened. 

David: On it, boss.

He gets up and runs to Illyana's office.

Illyana: Phoebe, guard the nest.

Phoebe: I will, mom.

Doug: What's going on?

Phoebe: Something really bad.

Illyana manifests a teleport disc and her students climb aboard. 

Phoebe: Good luck, you guys.

The disc disappears, leaving Doug and Phoebe standing alone in the living room. 

Doug: I don't get it. What just happened?

Phoebe: Remember when Eva said this was a superhero school?

Doug: Yeah . . . 

Phoebe: Well, Mom and the other students are off the save the world. 

Doug: What?

Trying not to let her panic show in front of Doug, Phoebe turns on her tablet and links it with the television set. 

Phoebe: Okay. Let's find out where our Mr. Ugly is coming from today. Please, God, I hope it's only one of them . . . 

She starts to pull up the various search engines and social media, looking for any new streams. Seeing Phoebe so instantly tense, Doug sits beside her and watches nervously.

Phoebe [muttering darkly]: Come on, come on, show yourself, you spooky soul-sucking parasite. 

David comes back into the living room.

David: Anything yet?

Phoebe: Still searching. Did you reach Captain Marvel?

David: Yeah. Doctor Strange just sent a portal for her. But I think Illyana is going to be first on the scene.

Phoebe [choking back a frightened sob]: Oh, God. 

David: Let's find 'em first, Phoebe. May I?

Phoebe hands him the tablet. David's hands fairly fly over the screen.

David: Doctor Strange set up that network around the planet, so our geodick could be outside the United States . . . ah, hah. Hang on, guys, I think I might just have them . . . 

Doug watches the T.V. screen in utter bewilderment and Phoebe unconsciously crosses herself, folding her arms across her chest, her hands in tight fists over her heart. 

David: Here we go. We've got a live video feed from Bangalore. In India.

The screen shows a wide pan of a city street, with an undulating, tentacled shadow hovering some dozen feet above the pavement. Panicked city dwellers rush past the camera view, screaming in terror. Doug's eyes widen in amazement. 

Doug: What is that thing?

David: That is what your buddy Christopher calls a "geodick". It's an alien from outer space. It's pure evil, straight from the can.

Doug: What does it want?

Phoebe: It wants to eat us. ALL of us.

As soon as Illyana and her students arrive in Bangalore, they quickly form a circle to identify threat assessment. Each of them sounds off for their line of sight.

Eva: Clear. 

Christopher: Clear. 

Irma: Clear.

Fabio: Marking one bogie, about thirty yards away and about fifteen feet in the air. 

Illyana: Civilians?

Irma: I can sense them, Mom. They're here - most of them headed for cover the moment our friend appeared.

Eva: I see lots of folks running away. 

Fabio: And nobody's standing around with their stupid smartphones trying to film it. 

Christopher: Indians must be smarter than Americans.

Illyana: Terrific. Let's make short work of this geodick.

Christopher [pumping his fist in triumph]: YES! You called it a geodick!

Illyana: Focus, Christopher. You're on rearguard.

Christopher: Yes, ma'am. 

Irma: Field is clear of non-combatants, mom. 

Illyana: Fabio, you're on point. Make our friend feel less welcome. 

Fabio: On it, professor.

Fabio puts his hands together, as if rolling a snowball, and comes up with a palmful of golden balls the size of marbles, which he projects at the fastest speed he can manage. The effect is like spraying shrapnel. However, as soon as Fabio's projectiles are within three feet of the creature, they strike against some hidden surface, that only flashes with bright purplish light on impact. The projectiles fall to the ground, the attack repelled. The creature's eyes glow red with rage.

Fabio: Son of a - !

Christopher: What? They have force fields now?

Illyana conjures a fireball and hurls it at the creature. The same result occurs. The flame dissipates harmlessly against the invisible shield.

Christopher: Oh, crap on a stick! What do we do now?

Illyana: Irma?

Irma: I can't even sense it, Mom. Its shield must protect it from psi attacks, too.

Illyana: Eva? How about one of your time displacement bubbles?

Eva: I'm trying, professor, but - I'm not getting past the shield, either. It's weird, though, I can sense making contact with it.

Illyana: Can you disrupt it?

Eva: I'll try. 

Eva grimaces with concentration, putting her hands out in front of her to help her focus her energies. The shield briefly appears visible, with little fault lines of purple light racing across its surface, but the integrity of the shield holds.

Eva: I'm sorry, professor, I'm not strong enough to shatter it. 

Illyana: I wonder if it can reach out while it's protected in there.

She draws her sword.

Fabio: Whoa, whoa, professor. You don't want to go anywhere near that thing. Remember last time?

Illyana: Fabio, give me some covering fire. Eva, keep trying to disrupt the field. I'll see if I can't get in close enough to crack the egg. Irma, keep probing. You get any link at all, try to fry its brain.

Without waiting for a reply, Illyana dashes forward, sword raised, yelling to get the creature's attention. It appears to be all too ready for her, its red eyes glowing with hate. It dives forward almost lazily in an obvious attempt to meet her. 

Fabio fires the smallest golden balls he can manage, effectively creating a machine-gun spread towards the creature. Eva grimly continues her assault, trying to shatter the surface of the shield. 

The creature's tentacles swing down and barely miss Illyana. Shrieking with rage, Illyana swings her sword wildly, making contact with the creature's appendages but not damaging them.

Christopher: It can reach outside its force field! If it touches her - 

Illyana, clearly realizing she is in too dangerous a situation for attack, swings her sword in defensive posture, trying to keep the creature from making contact with her. She is able to swat the tentacles away, but cannot damage them, and another set of tentacles reaches for her. 

The creature's attack is halted by a bright, blinding, cobalt-blue beam of light that strikes the shield with considerable violence, shattering it completely like glass. The creature screams, its vocalizations like that a gigantic cawing jackdaw.

Fabio: What the hell was THAT?

Christopher [shaking Fabio's shoulder]: The force field's down! Shoot it! SHOOT IT!

Fabio fires again, and this time, his projectiles find their mark, striking the creature's body, and it begins to sink the ground. 

Another beam of light strikes the creature, and it collapses to the ground like a punctured balloon. Illyana scrambles to her feet, and being careful to stay well clear of blood spray, slices the creature's head from its body. Illyana quickly steps back as the blood begins to seep from the wound. 

Fabio grabs Eva's hand.

Fabio: You okay?

Eva: Yah, you?

Fabio: I think I need to change my shorts. 

Eva: Same here. 

Christopher: What was that light?

Irma: Mom, everybody, I've got a bogie, less than twenty yards away.

Christopher: What, another geodick?

Irma: No. Whoever - or whatever - shot it down. 

She pelts away. Illyana quickly sheathes her sword and sprints after her daughter. Eva, Fabio and Christopher follow. 

Christopher: Uhh, is there anybody else who thinks that maybe this isn't a good idea?

Irma leads them to a narrow alleyway and she comes up short, waving the others to stay back. Illyana advances to join her daughter. Irma speaks to her mother telepathically.

Irma: Mom, it's a girl. A young girl.

Illyana [sharing her thoughts over the telepathic link]: A girl was responsible for that light beam?

Irma: Yes. And she's terrified. So let's not spook her. 

Illyana: Can you talk to her?

Irma [shaking her head]: Her mind "speaks" another language - Hindi, probably. Or maybe Punjabi. Phoebe could help us here, mom.

Illyana: How so?

Irma: This girl doesn't speak English, and we don't speak her language. But Phoebe is very good communicating through emotions. She might be able to get through to her that we mean her no harm. 

lllyana: Is she stationary?

Irma: She's hiding close by. Not moving right now. 

Illyana: Okay. Stay here. Don't approach her until I get back.

Illyana summons a teleport disc, then steps aboard it and vanishes. Irma waves at Eva and the boys to stay back. 

Illyana returns a few moments later with Phoebe, who immediately crouches beside her twin sister.

Phoebe: Where is she?

Irma opens her mind so that the sisters can share their thoughts. Targeting on the source of the girl's frightened mind, Phoebe nods and takes the point, advancing slowly in the direction where the girl is hiding. 

Using Irma's mind link to the rest of the team, Illyana issues a stern warning:

Illyana: Everyone stay back. We don't know who or what we're dealing with here.

Phoebe [speaking telepathically]: Let me approach her first, mom. Even if I can't speak her language, I think I can convince her that we mean her no harm. 

Illyana: Be careful, Phoebe.

Phoebe: I will. 

The girl is apparently crouching behind a rubbish bin or under a stairwell, as Phoebe sinks into a low crouch and advances carefully, almost crawling. 

Phoebe [speaking telepathically to Illyana]: I found her. Stay there a minute. Let me see if I can coax her out. 

From Illyana's point of view, it looks like Phoebe has decided to sit down in the middle of the alleyway. The girl must be hiding just outside of her line of sight. Phoebe settles into a sukahsana pose and smiles disarmingly. 

The girl is perhaps Phoebe's age, maybe a little younger, with dark skin and large brown eyes. She is not even five feet in height, and is nothing but skin and bone. She is utterly filthy and dressed in rags. But all around her, wafting upwards from her skin, are little diamond-shaped refractions of light, predominately yellow and orange in color. The girl seems utterly unaware of the lightshow she is creating. Phoebe draws in a sharp breath, awed by the beauty. She projects a greeting telepathically, trying to project feelings of comfort and concern. 

Phoebe: Hello. Don't be frightened. I won't hurt you.

The girl cocks her head, quizzically, neither understanding the language or knowing how she could hear Phoebe's voice without seeing her speak. But the tranquility that Phoebe projects calms the girl and puts her at ease. 

Phoebe: It's all right. I'm a friend. 

Phoebe next sends a mental message back to Illyana.

Phoebe: Mom, she's starving. Literally. And she's definitely got powers. She's putting up a rainbow of colors like you wouldn't believe.

Illyana [calling back to Christopher]: Christopher, do you have any food in your medikit?

Christopher: A couple of chocolate bars. 

Illyana: That'll do. Give me one.

Christopher digs in his rucksack, and pulls out a bar and hands it to Illyana. He grins sheepishly.

Christopher: My favorite medicine.

Illyana [smiling]: Yeah, mine too. Stay here. 

Illyana advances slowly to where Phoebe is sitting. When she gets close enough, Illyana lowers herself into a crouch.

Illyana: Here, Phoebe, try this.

Phoebe takes the bar of chocolate and slowly unwraps it. Illyana steps away, staying just out of the girl's line of sight, so as to not frighten her. The young girl's wide-eyed, unblinking gaze is focused on the chocolate bar. Phoebe carefully breaks the bar into halves and holds out one half to the girl.

Phoebe [speaking aloud, but in a soft, cooing voice]: Here. It's good. 

To demonstrate her intent, Phoebe breaks off a tiny piece of chocolate and pops it in her mouth. 

Phoebe: It's chocolate. Good.

She offers the bar again. The girl is clearly wavering between mistrust and ravenous hunger. Finally, the hunger wins out, and the girl leans forward, snatching the chocolate from Phoebe's hand, and wolfs it down in a few seconds. The little diamonds of light that rise up from her body begin to change color, now partially white, partially deep azure blue. 

Phoebe: There, you needed that, didn't you? 

Phoebe holds out the other half of the bar of chocolate.

Phoebe: Come on. It's all right. 

Sensing that Phoebe can be trusted, the girl comes forward, sitting in front of her. Phoebe holds out her hand and the girl takes the food and swallows it almost instantly. 

Phoebe takes her water bottle from her belt ring, uncaps the top and offers it. After a moment's hesitation, the girl takes the bottle into her skeletal hands and drinks. 

Phoebe [calling out to her mother telepathically]: Mom, you guys wouldn't happen to have another bar of chocolate?

Illyana: Shall I bring it?

Phoebe: Sure. But come up very slowly. Our little friend is very frightened. 

Illyana takes another bar of chocolate from Christopher's rucksack, and when she gets close to where Phoebe is sitting, she crouches down and advances cautiously. The girl freezes in terror and Phoebe sends another telepathic wave of tranquility to the girl. 

Phoebe: It's all right. This is my mother. She won't hurt you. 

Illyana sits down next to Phoebe and hands her the bar of chocolate. She cannot hide her dismay at seeing the girl's condition directly for the first time. 

Illyana: Oh God, she really is starving.

Phoebe unwraps the second bar of chocolate, and as before, breaks the bar in half and holds out one half to the girl. Very hesitantly, not taking her eyes off Illyana, she leans forward and takes it. 

Illyana: Have you been able to get a name, anything?

Phoebe: Nothing. She's so traumatized she's functioning on instinct alone. Even if we spoke her language, I'm not sure she'd understand us. 

Illyana: Those lights above her - 

Phoebe: She's doing that. Don't ask me how. 

Illyana: She doesn't even seem to be aware she's doing it.

Phoebe: Yeah. It's weird. Mom, she has to come home with us. 

Illyana gives her daughter a quizzical look. 

Phoebe: I'm not talking about just taking in strays. This girl has a power that can cut our alien bad guys into little bits. We can't just leave her here. 

Illyana: She has no family, then?

Phoebe: I'm only getting fragments out of her memory, but if she has a family, she's not thinking about them. No one's looking after her. She's been eating out of garbage cans for weeks. She'll die if we leave her here. 

Illyana: You saw what that beam of light could do. 

Phoebe: I think she did that out of sheer terror. I doubt she could do it now. Look at her. She's so weak she can barely stand. 

Illyana: I'm more worried about whether or not there's still a person in there we can reach. 

Phoebe: I think we can, mom. Let me try something. 

Leaving the remaining half a bar of chocolate in sight, but not offering it, Phoebe points to herself. 

Phoebe: Phoebe. 

She points to Illyana.

Phoebe: Mom. 

Then she points to the girl, who cocks her head quizzically. Phoebe repeats the gesture.

Phoebe: Phoebe, Mom - ? 

The girl suddenly realizes what is being asked of her. She parts her mouth, and for a moment, no sound emerges, but she is clearly trying to vocalize. She manages it at last:

Priya: Puh - Pah - Priya.

Phoebe: Priya?

Priya [pointing to herself, and nodding emphatically]: Priya!

Phoebe: I think there's still a person in there, mom.

Illyana: I think you're right. Do you think you can coax her to come with us?

Phoebe: Let's find out.

She breaks the remaining half bar of chocolate into two smaller halves and holds one out to Priya, who takes it trustingly this time.

Phoebe: Well, at least you're bothering to taste it now, huh? [to Illyana] She literally inhaled the first one.

Illyana: I don't doubt that. Poor thing. 

Irma breaks in with a telepathic message.

Irma: Mom, we've got authorities and other people starting to gather. I've set up a mental cordon to keep everyone out, are we leaving?

Illyana: Hang on, Irma, we'll know in a minute. 

Phoebe [to Priya]: Priya, will you come with us?

Realizing Priya won't understand any words of English, Phoebe points first to the girl, then to herself, then back down the alleyway towards the street. She cups her hand and beckons her, attempting to reinforce the visual cues with mental ones. 

Phoebe: Come with us, please. 

Hesitantly, Priya nods. Illyana and Phoebe get off the ground. 

Phoebe [ruefully]: Ugh. I think my outfit's ruined. 

Illyana [grinning]: You can destroy a lot of outfits in the field. 

Phoebe holds out her hands to Priya. 

Phoebe: Come on, sweetie, we're going home. 

Priya slowly gets to her feet on too-thin and badly shaking legs. Both Illyana and Phoebe feel a pang of dismay seeing the young girl nearly incapacitated by starvation. Phoebe offers Priya the remaining piece of chocolate, which she takes, and Phoebe puts her arm around Priya's small, bony shoulders. Phoebe wrinkles up her nose. 

Phoebe: She really reeks.

Illyana: So would you, if you hadn't bathed in months. 

Phoebe: The first thing I'm going to do when we get her home is throw her in the bathtub.

Illyana: That might be a good idea. [she touches a finger to her temple] Irma, get ready to drop the cordon. We're bugging out.

Irma: Ready on your order, mom.

Phoebe gives Priya the most reassuring smile she can manage. 

Phoebe: Don't worry, sweetie, you're going to be fine. 

Phoebe gently guides Priya out to the street. Seeing the knot of people, Priya instantly begins to shrink back, sending up little diamonds of light in bright yellow.

Phoebe [cooing]: Priya, Priya. It's okay. They're friends. 

Fabio: This is our mystery girl?

Christopher: The one who shot down the geodick?

Illyana: This is her. Her name is Priya. She's coming with us. 

Eva [coming forward and crouching down in front of the cowering girl]: Hi, Priya. I'm Eva. Don't be scared. 

Eva's friendliness is so open and evident that Priya feels less anxious, and her diamond lights slowly change color from sun-bright yellow to a darker saffron. 

Eva: That's beautiful. How do you do that?

Phoebe: She doesn't speak English, Eva. 

Eva: That's all right. She doesn't need to speak English, do you, sweetie? I'll bet there's a beautiful girl hiding under all that dirt.

Illyana: All right, students, let's get out of here. Irma, drop the cordon. Eva, Phoebe, hold tight to Priya. She might find a teleport disc a little unnerving. 

Illyana summons a teleport disc, and everyone steps aboard it. In a blink of an eye, the disc vanishes. A few moments later, Illyana and her students appear in the lobby of the school, where Doug and David are waiting anxiously. David can scarcely hide his relief at seeing everyone unharmed.

David: Are we green, boss?

Illyana [smiling]: We're green, David. Stand down from red alert. 

David: Thank God. Everyone okay? [he spots Priya] Who's this?

Phoebe: Everyone, this is Priya. 

Illyana: She's going to be staying with us for a few days.

Phoebe: She doesn't speak any English, and she's really shy. You'll all get to meet her soon, but I'm going to take her upstairs and get her cleaned up first. 

Phoebe, Eva and Irma all head up the stairs, gently guiding Priya with them. The girl is so weak that it is an effort for her to simply climb the steps. 

Illyana: David, were you able to get ahold of Carol?

David [holding out a tablet]: I still have her on call right now, boss.

Illyana takes the tablet from David. In the video link, Carol Danvers is wearing her helmet, indicating she is in flight.

Carol: Illyana! Is everything okay?

Illyana: Stand down, Carol. We're green. Only one bogie, and we got it. 

Carol: Damn! I was almost to Mumbai. 

Illyana: Carol, warn everyone. The creatures have shields now, to protect themselves from our powers. 

Carol utters a heartfelt obscenity.

Illyana: Yeah, I know. We still managed to take it out, but this means they know about the Avengers, and they are preparing accordingly.

Carol: No other signs of invasion?

Illyana: Looks like this was another test run. The good news is, the early warning system worked flawlessly.

Carol: I'll let Stephen know, but he's probably already aware of that. Nice work, Illyana.

Illyana: Call me when you get home. I'll give you guys a full briefing then.

Carol: Roger that. Glad you're safe. Talk to you soon!

The video link closes. Doug's eyes are very wide.

Doug [admiringly]: You killed a monster from outer space!

Upstairs, the girls have removed the filthy rags from Priya's small body, and Phoebe runs some warm water in the bath. 

Irma [regarding Priya]: She's so tiny, none of us have clothes that will fit her.

Eva: Well, for tonight, let's just put a school t-shirt on her. She can wear it like a dress. 

Phoebe [holding out her hand to Priya]: All right, sweetie, let's get you cleaned up. 

Phoebe helps Priya step into the bathtub, and the girl settles herself into the warm water gratefully, little diamonds of dark blue lights floating above her. Eva perches on the toilet while Irma stands in the doorway.

Eva: What d'you suppose those little lights are?

Irma: No idea. 

Phoebe: They seem to change color to match her emotional state. 

Eva: Does she do that all the time, do you think?

Phoebe: We'll find out soon enough. 

She takes a washcloth from the rack, soaks it in the water and then begins to gently scrub Priya's back. Priya is utterly bewildered by the treatment she is receiving, but does not protest. 

Irma: She's gonna need more than one bath to get all that grime off her. And we'll have to clean the tub afterwards.

Eva: Her hair is gonna need a lot of work, too. Should we shave her legs tonight?

Phoebe: One crisis at a time, guys. Let's get her clean first. 

Eva: She's so thin. 

Phoebe: Eva, would you mind going downstairs and preparing some rice and steamed vegetables? Let's see if we can't get some real food into her.

Eva: Sure, anything else? Think she might like coconut milk?

Phoebe [grinning]: Well, she does have a sweet tooth. Why don't bring some of that, and some chai?

Eva: Ooh. Never got a chance to make Indian tea before. Sure, I'll get right on it. Anything else I can do to help?

Phoebe: That'll do for now. 

Eva gets up and leaves.

Irma: We're gonna have to cut most of that hair off. Those knots and snarls look like they were weeks in the making. 

Phoebe: Yeah, probably. 

Illyana comes to the door.

Illyana: Everything all right in here?

Phoebe: Hey, mom. We're just getting Priya cleaned up.

Irma: We asked Eva to bring up some rice and vegetables for her, see if we can't get her to eat something.

Illyana: Sounds fine, girls. Are you getting anything from her mentally?

Phoebe: She's pretty much shut down right now, mostly from exhaustion. But she seems to understand we aren't going to hurt her. I'm hoping if we can get some food into her, we can put her down for a nap. 

Illyana: Good. If you can get her to nod off, come downstairs and we'll discuss what we're going to do with her.

It takes a little over an hour to get Priya bathed, and the worst of the knots and snarls either combed out, or cut out, of her long dark hair. The girls put a medium size t-shirt on her and it drops well below her knees. Eva brings a tray of food up to the cuckoos' room and Priya eats slowly, digging into the rice and vegetables with her fingers, her eyelids drooping. She drinks both a little of the coconut milk and warm chai and afterwards nearly swoons, clearly ready to fall instantly asleep. Phoebe pulls back the covers on the bed and tucks the girl in. Priya is fast asleep before her head is on the pillow. 

The lightshow doesn't cease while Priya sleeps, but the quantity and brightness of the diamond lights is greatly reduced, now the color of deep aquamarine. 

Phoebe [to Irma]: Looks like we're having company in our bed tonight.

Irma: With nightlights. Well, as long as she doesn't snore, or wet the bed, I guess it's okay.

Phoebe: We'll leave the light on in the bathroom for her. 

The girls exit the bedroom as quietly as they can, and head back downstairs. They find Illyana in the kitchen.

Illyana: How's our guest?

Phoebe: Fast asleep. 

Eva: She's in a bad way, professor. 

Irma: Where are the boys?

Illyana: David took them up to the hilltop for some dodgeball practice. I didn't want them underfoot while we were trying to decide what to do about Priya.

Eva: Rabbits! I missed dodgeball.

Irma: What are we going to do with her, mom?

Phoebe: I'd like to make a suggestion.

Illyana: Sure, Phoebe, let's hear it. 

Phoebe: I'd like to be excused from classes for a few days, so I can work with Priya one-on-one.

Illyana frowns in disapproval, but doesn't reply. 

Phoebe: She's a near invalid, mom. And she doesn't speak English. If she's going to help us fight off the geodicks, then we need her healthy and we need to be able to talk to her. I'd like to volunteer to be her "buddy" until we can determine if she really can do both of those things. 

Irma: And what if she can't?

Phoebe: I don't know. But since she was able to take out a geodick with one shot, I think we should try. [to Illyana] I could meet with you every evening to give you a status report. If Priya responds, then maybe we can let her be one of the students. 

Illyana: Were you able to get any memories from her at all, about her family, or how she ended up in such dire circumstances?

Phoebe [shaking her head]: Sorry, mom, I was just trying to keep her calm enough so she could come with us. 

Eva: Professor, every one of us would be willing to pitch in and help with Priya. 

Illyana: Yes, Eva, I know. I'm just worried about what will we do if she can't respond. 

Phoebe: Well, the first thing I'm going to do is find an English / Hindi translation app on the internet. I need to be able to talk to her, even if it's "Hinglish". 

Irma: If she even speaks Hindi. We don't even know that for sure at this point. 

Illyana [coming to a decision]: All right, Phoebe, we'll try your suggestion for now. I want twice daily updates, one at lunchtime, one at bedtime, and let's see how Priya does over the next few days.

Phoebe: Maybe we should call her Prana instead.

Eva: Prana? Why Prana?

Phoebe: Because she's "Energy Girl". All those light beams and her diamond lights, she's giving off waves and waves of energy. And "Prana" is a Hindu word meaning "energy" or "life force".

Irma [grinning at Phoebe]: Then maybe we need to start calling you "Dictionary Girl". Because you obviously swallowed one. 

Eva [quietly]: Maybe you should be a teacher, Phoebe. 

Phoebe [mulling that over]: Maybe I should.

Their conversation is interrupted by a red pulsing light flashing throughout the kitchen.

Eva: Now what? More outer space bugs?

Illyana: No. That's our local proximity alarm this time. Someone is approaching the school who isn't recognized on the friendly list. 

Illyana walks to the front door and opens it. As she does so, an elderly man in a dark suit and long dark purple cape descends from somewhere above them, and lands gently on his feet in the soft grass. Illyana cannot hide her shock. 

Illyana: Oh my God. Eric.

Eric Lehnsher, also known as Magneto, the Master of Magnetism, looks up at Illyana and smiles weakly.

Magneto: Hello, Illyana.


End file.
